Closing means for receptacles of all kinds



J. B. M. LIARSOU AND C. COLOMBANI.

CLOSING MEANS FOR RECEPTACLES OF ALL KINDS.

APPLICATIOP. FILED APR. 8. 1920.

1,372,0WF. Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. B. M. LIARSOU AND C. COLOMBANI. CLOSING MEANS FOR RECEPTACLES OF ALL KINDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 31 I920.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

C. COLOMBF/W STTES :51

JEAN IBAJPTISIE MAURICE LIARSOU, 0F FARIS, AND COLOMIBAN COLOMBANI, 0F BONDY, FRANCE, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF T0 REGINALD FORD, 0F PARIS,

FRANCE.

CLOSING MEANS FOR RECEP'IACLES OF ALL KINDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1920. Serial No. 372,327,

France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Closing Means for Receptacles of All Kinds; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the same.

There are already known closing means comprising capsules which by reason of the resiliency of their peripheries are fixed and maintained on receptacles having substantially cylindrical necks. Capsules of this kind, as employed in practice, possess the disadvantage, owing to the considerable force to which they are subjected in opening or closing the receptacle, of rapidly losing their resilience; they become deformed and become useless more or less rapidly, the closure that they secure being not sufficiently hermetic.

The present invention has for its object to provide a resilient or substantially resilient capsule adapted to fit on the mouth of a receptacle, and being shaped to insure a perfectly hermetic closure which will last almost indefinitely without becoming deformed, as the slight force required to open or close the receptacle is insufiicient to deform the capsule.

The capsule is preferably formed of a single iece of any suitable material and it is pre erably manufactured from resilient or substantially resilient metal. The capsule includes a cap having a head and a depending skirt, the latter forming an outwardly extending channel and an inwardly extending continuous annular flange the lower edge portion of the skirt being restricted by spinning on a lathe, or the like, to form the inwardly extending annular beveled flange which has a continuous. annular edge that grips the outer surface of the receptacle and holds the cap in place. The outer surface of the receptacle near its mouth is upwardly flared to provide an enlargement which is designed to be received within the channel of the cap. The distance between diametrically opposite points of the annular edge of the flange is less than the distance between diametrically opposite points at the outer end of the flared surface of the receptacle in order that the edge may grip the flared surface of the receptacle. In a modified form of the inyention the flared portion of the receptacle is provided with two diametrically opposite flat surface which cooperate with two similarly arranged flat surfaces of the cap. An elastic or plastic joint member located in the head of the capsule assures the air tightness of the closure.

A method of carrying the invention into practiceis illustrated byway of example by the accompanying drawings, in which Flgure 1 1s a view-of a capsule in elevation.

Fi 2 is a section of the capsule along the line X of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the method of fitting the capsule on the receptacle.

Fig. 5 shows inverted a slightly resilient capsule of a somewhat different form.

Figs. 6 and 7 show in Ian and in elevat1on the shape of the neo of the receptacle 1n the case of an absolutely rigid capsule.

Fig. 8 shows a resilient connection for connecting the capsule to its receptacle, and

Fig. 9 illustrates the application of the capsule to the closure of a so called invertible ink well. y

The capsule (Figs. 1 and 2) is in the form of a cap which includes a head 1 and a deending substantially cylindrical skirt 2, the ower portion 3 of which is restricted by spinning on a lathe, or the like, to form an inwardly extending annular flange having a continuous annular edge designed to engage and grip the outer surface of the re ceptacle with which the cap is used. The cap is referably formed from a single piece of reel ient metal. capsule is arranged a disk 4 of flexible material, for example ofindia rubber, cork, etc.

The receptacle 5 on -which the capsule is fixed preferably includes a substantially cylindrical neck, the outer surface of the up- Patented Mar. 22, 192i.

In the interior of the i the end of the flared surface is slightly greater than the diameter of the restricted mouth of the capsule.

The operation of this closing device is as follows The capsule being in place on the receptacle (Fig, 3) opening is effected (Fig. 4) as hereinafter described with one hand only and without the assistance of any instrument. This operation is elfected by placing two fingers on the two ends of a diameter, indicated by a marking on the neck of the receptacle, for example the diameter situated in the plane of Fig. 2, and pressing with one of the fingers while with the other slightly liftinp; the capsule; with this move ment the capsule, rocking around the diameter perpendicular to the above diameter, slides along the rim which becomes disengaged on one side, and on the other lodges in the circular gallery or channel 8 formed by the body of the capsule above the restricted mouth 3, the latter no longer bearing on the rim except at the two extremities of the axis of rotation. A very slight edort is sullicient to remove the capsule which, so long as it is slightly resilient, can pass over the two last points of contact with the rim.

Closing is etl'ected by reversing the operation. The capsule is presented obliquely in relation to the rim as shown in Fig, 4, and is then pushed forward to engage the rear part of the rim. The forward part of the capsule is then pressed downward, a slight elfort only being necessary to cause the restricted mouth of the capsule to pass over the rim at the two ends of the diameter perpendicular to the plane of the figure.

Un the completion of this operation the air tightness of the closure is assured by means of the disk 4: of india-rubber, leather, cork, or other similar material, which pressed forcibly against the edge of the receptacle forms a spring by reason of its elasticity.

in the modification illustrated by Fig. 5 the restricted mouth of the slightly resilient capsule 9 has a slightly oval shape 10, this oval shape allowing the capsule to exercise.

at the ends of its smaller diameter, pressure on thef' lower part of the rim thus adding to feet of the disk in assuring air tightness o the closure, and if necessary allowing th joint member to be dispensed "with.

Tllhe' above described method of operation is onthe assumption that the capsule possesses-"a certain amount of resilience, however small it may be. if it is desired to employ absolutely rigid capsules,- for example of glass, it is necessary to introduce a slight modification in the shape of the rim of the receptacle. The latter (Figs. 6 and 7) is provided with a projecting circular rim 11 preferably or semi-circular shape but this rim has two slight flat sur aerator faces 12 and 13 diametrically opposite to each other. The diameter of the rim 13. is slightly larger than that of the restricted mouth of the capsule except at the two flat surfaces lfl and 13 where it is of the same, or even of slightly smaller diameter.

The operation of this device is the same as in the case of the slightly resilient capsule. The capsule being in position (Fig. 7) opening is effected by rocking the capsule about the diameter joining the centers of the two flat surfaces. This rockin is sit fected by placing two fingers at t e two ends of the diameter indicated by a marking on the neck of the'receptacle, and pressing with one of the lingers while lifting the capsule slightly with the other finger; the latter slides along the rim which becomes disengaged at one side and on the other side lodges in the circular space it formed by the body of the capsule above the restricted mouth; the openingis then effected of itself, the two flat surfaces 12 and 13 allowing free passage of the capsule. Closing is ellected by reversing the above operations.

The two flat surfaces might equally well be formed on the mouth of the capsule instead of being formed on the mouth of the receptacle.

flhe disk 4 may instead of being shaped as a plain disk as is shown in the drawings, be formed with a circular central opening into which the pressure within the receptacle may penetrate. This arrangement allows automatic tightening of the fitting to be obtained by the expansion caused by the pres sure. It will be obvious that the less the capsule itself is resilient, the more it is necessary for the disk to be so,

To connect the capsule to the receptacle on which it is to be applied it may if desired. be provided {Fig 8) with a flexible connection constituted preferably in a metal wire 15 fixed on the one hand to t e capsule and on the other hand to a ring 16 comprising a part 17 forming a spring. The elasticity of this ring allows. it, when being placed lltlb in position, to slip over the rim 7 of the neclr so as to engage in a channel 18 formed in the neck, and in which it remains in position,

The closure thus constituted is extremely effective; its resistance to being forced oil by the pressure existing in the interior of the receptacle is very great since it can withstand'up to 50 kilograms per square centimeter with thickness of metal of l to 16' millimeters; the capsule is of simple and cheap construction and may be used a great number of times without any depreciation on this account; This method of closure may have a considerable number of applications; for the closing of bottles and flasks of all kinds, as a lidfor metal boxes, such as blacking boxes, as lubricating caps for automo-.

bil'es, as stoppers for water and etrol tanks in automobiles, caps for electric switches, and for many other purposes. The use of the device may be extended to the joining of two parts, for the closing of press buttons, and the joining of pipes. I

A modification-of the capsule applied to the closure of an invertible ink well is illustrated by Fig. 9. The capsule is then perforated at its center 19 and the edges of this perforation are extended by a cylindrical or conical part 20 which serves as a seating for the various kinds of rubber, or other funnels, flexible or igid tubes 21 which are used in such ink wells.

What we claim is:

1. Means for hermetically and instantaneously closing receptacles of all kinds, comprising in combination with the cylindrical neck of the receptacle having an annular rim projecting therefrom, of a capsule formed from a single piece of suitable material and in the form of a cap having a mouth restricted into a bevel shape and of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the rim designed for rocking engagement aeaapoa with the opposite points of the rim whereby to consequently snugly embrace the rim, the

exterior surfaces of the said neck being proyided with two diametrically opposed fiat aces.

2. The combination with a receptacle having an upwardly flared annular surface at its mouth portion, of a capsule formed from a single piece of resilient metal and having a depending skirt, the lower edge of said skirt being shaped to provide an inwardly extending continuous annular flange, the distance between diametrically opposite points of the edge of said flange being less than the dis tance between diametrically opposite points at the upper end of the flared surfaces of the receptacle, the skirt being formed immediately above said flange with an outwardly extending channel designed to receive the upper ed e of the receptacle, whereby said cap may e placed on the mouth of the receptacle and the edge of the flange will grip the flared surface of said receptacle.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JEAN BAPTESTE MAURICE MARSOU. COLOMBAN QQLGMBANL 

